Open to the Public

Nassawango Creek is one of the last pieces of true wilderness left on the East Coast. Dominated by bald cypress and black gum, the massive trees of this primeval forest envelop visitors with ample shade and security.

With your support, the Conservancy has worked since 1978 to protect 14,787 acres of swamp and upland forest along Nassawango Creek. Nassawango Creek Preserve includes 9,953 acres of this land, andis one of the northernmost remaining examples of a bald cypress swamp.

The Nassawango Creek Stewardship Committee was formed in 1979 - and has been going strong ever since! The committee ranks among the longest-serving groups of preserve volunteers in the history of The Nature Conservancy. Contact Joe Fehrer at jfehrer@tnc.org to learn how you can become a part of this dynamic committee and help ensure the ongoing care of this beloved preserve.

Before You Go

Why You Should Visit

Nassawango is home to an abundant array of wildlife and native plants, including many species of orchids and warblers. This tannin-stained waterway is steeped in early American history and one of the most beautiful and tranquil places in Maryland. From Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Nassawango Creek flows southward into Pocomoke River, a major tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.

With more than 60 recorded species of migratory birds, such as the scarlet tanager, yellow-throated vireos and prothonotary warbler, there’s no doubt that Nassawango Creek is a critical stopover point for migratory birds. The preserve's Cubler Payne Forest is part of an Audubon Important Birding Area.

Nassawango Creek abuts portions of Pocomoke State Forest, a nearly 15,000-acre forest of loblolly pine and cypress swamps. Large, intact forests also serve as corridors for large mammals, such as deer, and help sustain the overall health of the forest by allowing the forest to survive and recover from destructive events such as hurricanes and wild fires. Along the boundary of Nassawango Creek Preserve is Furnace Town, an historic village.

Bobcat, mink, fox, and a host of interior forest nesting bird species thrive here as a result of maturity, ecological integrity, and relative scarcity of harmful invasive plants and animals. Rare plants such as pink lady’s slipper, cardinal flower, and Indian pipe color the forest floor.

Current Conservation At Work

In 2014, The Conservancy acquired the 693-acre Taylor farm which sits at the headwaters of Nassawango Creek. The Conservancy is working with partners to restore 381 acres of Taylor's cropland to forested wetland. An additional 312 acres of forested uplands and wetlands will also be protected.

These restoration efforts will reverse the impacts from extensive drainage, grazing, and crop production. Restoring the natural hydrology will improve the quality of water and habitat in Nassawango Creek and downstream water bodies.

A long-term monitoring program will allow the Taylor farm to become a “living laboratory”. The data we collect through this restoration will inform our conservation strategies on a larger scale and will be shared with other landowners as we work collaboratively to conserve the productive lands and waters of the Eastern Shore.

Since 2009, in partnership with the National Aquarium, and with the help of and the Maryland Conservation Corps, nearly 15,000 Atlantic white cedar trees have been planted at Nassawango Creek preserve. Many of the seedlings were grown in the classrooms of Wicomico and Worcester County middle schools, and the students come out to the preserve every spring to plant their trees onto the preserve.

At several bogs deep within the preserve, our stewardship staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to thin encroaching hardwoods to make room for native vegetation. We have already seen a resurgence of pitcher plants, rare grasses and rare sedges growing in the bog. View a video from Maryland Outdoors about these efforts (begins at 18:50).

In January 2009, the Conservancy negotiated the organization’s largest-ever transaction in Maryland to protect the 4,769-acre Foster property — a sound investment that will produce ecologic, cultural and economic dividends far into the future.

We have three tours available: the Johnson Tract, the Leifer Trail, and the Prothonotary Trail

1) Johnson Tract Audio Tour

In this audio tour, the Conservancy's Deborah Landau, conservation ecologist, describes our prescribed burn program, Atlantic white cedar restoration and the importance of giving back to the community through certified forestry operations.

Step 1: Download the Johnson Tract audio tour map. This map will help identify which audio tracks to play based on your location on the trail, so make sure to take a copy with you on your trip.

Step 2: Download and save each of the below mp3 files to your handheld device. Play the corresponding track when you reach a waypoint along the trail. Listen to them all or pick & choose based on your interests!

In this audio tour, the Conservancy's Deborah Landau, conservation ecologist, discusses hundreds of years of human and natural history at Furnacetown.

Step 1: Download the Leifer Trail audio tour map. This map will help identify which audio tracks to play based on your location on the trail, so make sure to take a copy with you on your trip.

Step 2: Download and save each of the below mp3 files to your handheld device. Play the corresponding track when you reach a waypoint along the trail. Listen to them all or pick & choose based on your interests!

In this audio tour, the Conservancy's David Ray, applied forest ecologist, and Preserve Stewardship Committee member Janice Ward introduce you to Nassawango's diverse bird life.

Step 1: Download the Prothonotary Trail audio tour map. This map will help identify which audio tracks to play based on your location on the trail, so make sure to take a copy with you on your trip.

Step 2: Download and save each of the below mp3 files to your handheld device. Play the corresponding track when you reach a waypoint along the trail. Listen to them all or pick & choose based on your interests!

Plan Your Visit

What to See: Plants

Nassawango is home to an abundant array of native plants, including rare plants such as pink lady’s-slipper, cardinal flower and Indian pipe. A diverse forest of bald cypress, black gum and loblolly pine trees dominate this upland forest.

What to See: Animals

With more than 60 recorded species of migratory birds, such as the scarlet tanager, yellow-throated vireos and prothonotary warbler, there’s no doubt that Nassawango Creek is a critical stopover point for migratory birds. Bobcat, mink, deer and fox also thrive here.

Directions

From Salisbury, go south on Route 12 towards Snow Hill; run right onto Old Furnace road

Travel about a mile and you'll find Furnace Town on the left. Park and check in at the visitor center if it is open

The Paul Leifer Trail begins just beyond the old brick furnace at the south end of the village

Directions to the Johnson Tract

From Baltimore/Washington, follow directions above to Route 12. After 3.8 miles, turn left onto Spearin Road and follow for 2.9 miles

Turn right onto Mount Olive Church Road and follow for .2 miles. Watch on the left for a pipe gate

Park outside the gate and walk along the unpaved road

Directions for Canoeists and Kayakers

From Baltimore/Washington, follow directions above to Snow Hill. Instead of turning onto Old Furnace Road, continue on Route 12 for one mile farther south and turn right onto Red House Road

After about one mile, park along the road shoulder near the designated parking sign and just before a small bridge. If you reach a point where the road splits, you have gone too far!

Park along the side of the road where the creek goes under the bridge

Launch your canoes and kayaks from this side of the creek, right by the green Nature Conservancy Nassawango Creek Preserve sign. Two yellow "Nature Sanctuary" signs also mark this area

Discussion

Have you been to this preserve? Are you thinking of visiting? See what others are saying about their experiences and add your comments below.

Add Your Comments

Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!

The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 53-0242652) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.